Luke 16:19 – 31 Lazarus – Uh Oh!

Luke 16:19 – 31 Lazarus – Uh Oh!

"There was a rich man 13 who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, 14 where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.' He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"

The first thing that I noticed in this story is Jesus’ description of “the netherworld”. He uses the word “torment” and “flames”. Is Jesus describing hell? This is not the only reference to hell in the gospels. In Matthew 25: 41-46, Jesus in describing the Last Judgment lays out two alternatives: eternal life for the just and eternal punishment for everyone else. Those who are condemned are “put out of my (Christ’s) sight and consigned “into that everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels”. How am I supposed to take this? Is it a euphemism? Is it literally true? How can a God who (I believe) is loving and merciful create such a place, never mind condemn people to it? Various religious traditions debate this. Some feel being banished from God’s presence (being put out of his sight) eternally is a kind of hell. Jesus describes something more graphic. I don’t know where I come out, but I can tell you unequivocally that I don’t want to find out the hard way.